Oh, Brother!
by displacedtexan
Summary: Somehow Sagawa Konomi's distress over separation from her older brother gets her mixed up with the Iries.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N1: Still don't own Itakiss.**

 **A/N2: An anonymous reviewer requested that I write a Konomi/Yuuki fanfic. At first I didn't care much for the idea, because Konomi has always appeared to me as a bland, "Kotoko-lite" figure. However, by creating a bit of back history, I believe I was able to make her a more interesting character and liven up the story. I hope you agree and enjoy it!**

* * *

Kirihara Konomi knew that her family was not like the happy ones featured on children's television shows. There were no jolly vacations, playful meals, or even tearful advice. Instead, the tense atmosphere of resentful silence was occasionally broken with loud shouts, curses and sobs.

The only constant in her world was her older brother Hiroto. He could be depended upon to cover her ears when the sounds battered the walls of his bedroom, where she always ended up on those nights, huddled with him, trembling. Her big brother told her that it was possible that Mother and Father wouldn't live together soon, but she felt that nothing could be too bad as long as he was there with her.

School was not particularly fun for her, especially once her parents' relationship began to deteriorate. While not exactly shy, she hesitated to bring friends home in case the situation grew tense; as a result, she had no one particularly close. At least school was made bearable by Hiroto being there also, even though he was a lofty sixth-year and she was only in third grade. She often caught glimpses of him on the playground, showing off his athletic ability to the other boys and girls around. His name was usually mentioned as an example to follow, as he regularly topped the scores at exam times. Several girls in Konomi's class had hearts in their eyes when they joined her to watch him, and her chest almost burst with pride at being his sister.

As their parents made their steady way to dissolution of their marriage—their father moved out after the New Year—Hiroto seemed to be moving in love's opposite direction. He had begun talking about a girl in the classroom next to his, Sugimoto Naomi, the Madonna of the sixth year. Konomi, accustomed to being the first girl in his heart, felt troubled and threatened that he would forget her.

He laughed at her when she finally managed to tell him. "Don't be silly, sis! Naomi-chan won't mind your company, I'm sure!" He talked so often of "Naomi-chan" that it came as a surprise to Konomi when he admitted that he hadn't yet told her that he liked her. "But I will soon!" he averred. "Right after your birthday next week!" He hugged his younger sister and frowned. "I wish Mom and Dad would hurry up and decide to end it. Living apart like this isn't good."

* * *

The day after her birthday was the fateful evening that Hiroto had come home, sullen and silent, and retreated to his room without greeting either Konomi or his mother, quietly preparing a meal for three. When the confused Konomi opened his door to call him to the table, she was surprised to catch him wiping his eyes with the long sleeve of his shirt.

"Onii-chan—?!" she began alarmed.

He gruffly told her to be quiet and shoved her out of his room. "I'm not hungry!" he called through the door.

After a week of dealing with a grim-faced older brother, Konomi finally forced her way into his room. "Onii-chan!" she cried. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he growled, his back to her.

She advanced on him and beat him on the shoulders. "Don't tell me that! You're quiet and mean and strange! I want my old Onii-chan back!"

He turned to her, no smile on his face. "That's too bad. You need to get over leaning on me. I've decided to move with Dad when the divorce is final."

Konomi stared, her arms limp at her sides. "With Otosan? Why? When did you choose him? You said you would always be here for me, so Mama and I wouldn't get lonely."

His eyes bright, he patted one of her shoulders gently. "Don't you think Dad might get lonely, too?"

She narrowed her eyes, and he shifted his gaze. "That's not the only reason, is it?"

"No." Hiroto took a deep breath. "I confessed to Naomi-san last week. She turned me down."

Konomi's hands flew to her mouth. _No! How could this be? Her big brother was the greatest!_ Maybe it was because she had held so many fears about being neglected that his confession had been cursed? She quickly sent up a quick prayer to whatever deity was on on duty. "No, Onii-chan! You must try again. I'm sure she will say 'yes' then!"

Her brother sadly shook his head. "No. She told me that she had another in her heart and that it would be no use." He pounded a fist on his knee. "I had told everyone in my class, and now they are all laughing at me! Plus, we were accepted to the same middle school. No," he shook his head again, "I'm going with Dad—he has been asking me. And we're moving to Kyoto, near Jiisan's farm. At least there I will be far from the teasing."

Tears spurted from her eyes. "But you'll be far from me too!" she wailed. "What am I supposed to do? Who will help me with my assignments?" She sniffed dramatically. "You know I'm not as smart as you are."

His hand ruffled her hair. "You'll be all right, Nomi-chan. You're a good kid. You've been relying too much on me. Just listen well, and take notes in class. _You can do it!_ And smile like you do for me. You'll make friends in no time and won't need me at all."

 _But I will!_ she cried silently. However, realizing that his mind was made up, she tried to stifle her audible sobs. "When do you leave?"

"The day after the term ends," he told her. "We'll walk home together after the graduation ceremony, okay?"

She nodded. She was losing both her father and her brother in one fell swoop. At least she needed to have someone to blame for the latter. "Onii-chan, who did Naomi-san turn you down for?"

Her brother flinched. "Why do you want to know?" He turned and saw that she had on her stubborn face, so he relented. "Some guy named Irie."

 _Irie!_ She stowed the information away in her brain. Now she knew who her enemy was.

* * *

The remainder of the school year Konomi haunted the sixth year hall. That is, she did so in a way that her brother could not see. Knowing his schedule so well made it easy to keep herself out of his sight. She screwed up her courage and asked questions of strangers, but no one knew of an Irie in that grade. On the off chance that he was younger, she even did the same to the fifth grade classrooms. Again striking out, she concluded that her brother's successful rival attended another school.

"Must be a neighborhood friend," she muttered to herself as she watched the third grade boys run laps. She and the other girls were involved in stretching activities, and her head was almost touching the ground when she heard the coach shout, "Irie! Are you all right?"

She whipped her body upright so quickly that she almost lost her balance. The coach was assisting a slightly chubby boy to his feet and helping him dust off his track suit. Once the inspection was complete, he was waved on and followed the rest of the boys at a slower pace.

 _Irie?_ she thought. _Naomi-san turned down Onii-chan for_ **that** _?! What an idiot!_ She shook her fist and set her jaw. _I don't know what kind of revenge I'm going to bring down on you, but rest assured, you will eventually feel the wrath of Konomi!_

* * *

The leavetaking of her brother distracted Konomi for the rest of the school year. Walking home with him on the last day, she kept turning her face to the side to wipe away the stubborn tears that insisted on filling her eyes. Hiroto sighed and eventually handed her his crumpled handkerchief.

"It's not as if I'm dying, Nomi-chan," he tried to assure her. "We can email and video chat whenever you want."

"Won't be the same," she sniffed. "That mean old Naomi and Irie! I'll make them pay for this!"

He managed a laugh. "And how will you do that? Don't worry about them. Concentrate on your school work." He used an arm to hug her to him briefly. "I'm sorry I won't be there to help you with it any more. Maybe if you make a friend who is a little smarter than you, she can help."

"No one can replace you, Onii-chan."

He ruffled her hair. "Of course not! And no one could replace you either."

 _Then why are you leaving me?_ she thought. _Why did you let me think that you would always be here for me?_


	2. Chapter 2

During the brief break between Konomi's third and fourth grades, her mother helped her move her things into Hiroto's old room.

"Here you go, Konomi-chan!" Her mother acted overly happy, but she could tell that it was fake. "Now you have much more space. Isn't that great!"

 _I would rather have Onii-chan back and live in the closet,_ she thought. However, she managed a smile for her mother. "Sure!" she replied.

That Darn Irie (as she had come to think of him in her mind) once more did not belong to the same classroom once they were fourth years. She felt frustrated that there was no way to pull pranks on him such as writing on his desk or stealing his lunch ( _he could stand to miss a meal or two!_ she thought viciously). She contented herself with glaring at him during shared P.E. time, wishing that she was out with the boys so she could trip him somehow. So it came as a total surprise when several superior-acting girls from his class cornered her behind the building.

"Sagawa-san, you must think you're really something, huh?"

Konomi looked at them, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Don't think you can hide it. We've seen how you've been looking at Irie-kun. You like him, don't you?"

"Say what?" was all her outraged throat could manage.

"Well, too bad for you that you're in the dummy class."

"Dummy class?" Konomi tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you know? We and Irie-kun are in the bluebird class. We're the _smart_ ones. You're in the dog class. Although maybe for you it's the doggy doo-doo class!"

"We're just in different classrooms. There's nothing like that. The rooms are named for animals, like the butterfly and squirrel classes, too."

"That's how much you know!" one of them taunted her.

"Yeah, didn't you notice that the people in the classrooms didn't change much? That's because they're keeping us all at our ap-pro-pri-ate levels," the self-appointed leader informed her, pronouncing the long word carefully.

"And you're at the bottom of the pile!" added one of her little coven.

"The doggy doo-doo pile!" The group let loose with a spate of giggles over their naughty talk.

"Th-that's not nice!" Konomi's face was flushed with indignation. "We're nice people in the dog classroom."

"Nice, maybe, but no match for Irie-kun." The spokesperson's voice was firm. "You have no chance with him."

"He hardly talks to _us_ , even, so why would he look your way?"

Konomi sneered. "I don't want him to look my way. It would please me if he fell off the edge of the earth and drowned in the sea of Japan!"

"Why, you!"

"Girls, girls," the coach turned the corner. "What are you doing back here? Go back and join the group." He shooed the bluebirds to the field. The leader turned and used two fingers to point to her eyes, then Konomi.

"Kiriha—no, it's Sagawa-chan now, right?" The coach bent down so his head was at her level. "Was there bullying going on here?"

She shook her head silently.

He heaved a sigh, straightened, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You probably wouldn't tell me if there was, would you? I know you've had some changes at home. Don't let them get you down. Lots of kids have parents who divorce."

Konomi trailed him back to the field. _Stupid adult._ If they had been teasing her about that, she probably would have been fighting them in the dirt. She didn't know what stung most: the fact that she had been forcibly told that she wasn't smart, or that she was thought to be crushing on the absolute worst boy—and one not even of her acquaintance! _Well,_ she raised her chin, _she'd just be more careful how she watched That Darn Irie._

* * *

That confrontation was only the first of many other changes to her life. Despite his promises, she still did not get to talk with her brother as often as she'd like. It seemed that middle school had lots of activities, and Hiroto was taking full advantage of them, as he demonstrated when she visited their father's new place during summer break. Also, her mother began going out sometimes at night. On those evenings Konomi reheated the dinner left behind and, after completing her homework to the best of her ability, began a revenge notebook filled with ideas of how she was going to get back at Irie Yuuki. _I may be dumb,_ she thought, tongue protruding from her lips as she wrote the latest tortures that had occurred to her, _but I'm patient!_

* * *

Konomi continued to surreptitiously observe the enemy, desiring to know his secrets before deciding on a proper revenge. She still saw no way in which he could be judged superior to her brother. Instead of friendly and outgoing, he appeared surly and rude to most students. She couldn't even tell if he liked much of _anyone_ , much less girls. At any rate, that wasn't something she could judge for certain, since Nasty Naomi had advanced to middle school.

Trying to keep her grades at a decent level took a good amount of time in the evening. She missed having a live-in homework helper and was sorry that none of her few friends in the dog class were any better than she was at school work.

Not long before Christmas her mother introduced her to the man she had been seeing for some time. At the lunch meeting, Konomi was startled to find out that it was not a simple introduction but an announcement that they were to be married and that he and his son were going to move into their house. Her spine stiffened at the thought of another boy taking the place of her beloved Hiroto, but it turned out that little Makio was actually younger than she was. _Great, I guess I'm supposed to be a babysitter,_ she thought gloomily. However, her mother looked happier than she had in years, so she did not raise any objections, especially since Hiroto told her that their dad's house in Kyoto was too small to have her, except for occasional visits. She did dig in her heels and refuse to have her name changed to her stepfather's. She did not want to lose even that tenuous link to her beloved older brother.

She actually found that she enjoyed being a big sister. Even though her grades did not improve, at least the four years' advantage gave her the ability to assist Makio with his few assignments. The addition of an extra paycheck to the household permitted them to take several trips, and slowly the blended family life eased her pain. Finally, plans of revenge against Irie Yuuki became a thing of the past. If his figure ever caught her eye at school, she would only stiffen for a second and then continue on. After all, what use was holding onto a grudge such as this, when he was bound to leave her sight forever once they began middle school? Most of the smart kids were talking about going to private academies, and she was sure that he was no different.

* * *

 **A/N: Hang on a while longer. She finally gets to meet an Irie in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Tonan Middle School! Konomi checked that her bow was straight and her pleated hem was not turned up. She pasted a smile on her face and entered the gymnasium for opening ceremony. She was happy to see some familiar faces were assigned to her classroom. _Class F for Fantastic!_ she thought to herself.

Even sweet wine will eventually turn into vinegar. The announcement of the highest ranking students entering first year unfortunately included one Irie Yuuki. She violently kicked an innocent rock several blocks on her way to the train station. _Of all the luck, she was stuck with him for another three years!_ At least he wasn't in her classroom. He was in Class A for Awful!

All too soon Konomi learned what the letters of the leveled classes stood for. Class A was for the shining stars, the hope of the future. Class F held those who might not even make it to high school, much less college. Konomi gritted her teeth at her homework and once more rued the absence of her brother.

* * *

Not long after the term began, the students were introduced to a young adult and were told that the student teacher rotation period would be for the next two weeks. Sasahara-sensei was an earnest young woman who tried to teach them algebraic formulae. Her chipper voice lost its vibrancy after forty five minutes with Konomi's fellow students, several of whom would have had trouble counting above ten while wearing their shoes.

The Japanese teacher was stricken with a headache one afternoon, and the grade head informed them that the student teacher for Class A would be conducting the session. Strangely enough, the young woman shared a last name with Konomi's nemesis. Not only that, but Irie-sensei was unfailingly patient with the student readers and eventually shared that she, too, had attended Tonan and, not only that, had been in Class F. One of their own! No wonder she had such sympathy for their plight!

During a particularly painful reading by one of her classmates, Konomi's eyes wandered to the athletic grounds. There, as if in juxtaposition with the best of the name, was Irie Yuuki. Still a little tubby, he couldn't manage to get himself over the high jump bar at even the lowest setting. "Not even close!" Konomi muttered aloud with a little laugh. "Oh!" She noticed Irie-sensei looking at her quizzically and clapped both hands over her mouth.

"Don't mind her, Sensei," the female class leader advised. "Konomi-chan's looking at Irie-kun again."

"Hush!" she hissed, angrily blushing.

"Yeah, she's been watching him since elementary school," another student chimed in. "Must be a stalker."

"Or maybe—she's in lu-u-urve!"

"That's right! I heard she got beat up by some of the girls in his class for looking too highly for a boyfriend." _How did that old encounter get passed around—and exaggerated?_

"As if she'd need to look at that snooty Class A boy when the real men are in Class F!" averred one of the male students, who was so tall that he might have experienced first year more than once.

 _And as if I'd need any boy in my life!_ Konomi stood suddenly, rattling her desk and raised her hand high in the air. "Permission to leave the classroom, Irie-sensei!"

"G-granted," the wide-eyed student teacher replied.

* * *

The rest of the day didn't improve, in Konomi's mind. At least the kids settled down once the teachers rotated for the next subject. She took her packed lunch to a sheltered alcove to eat alone. The teacher's lounge nearby had a window open for air circulation. Several of them were talking about the latest batch of recruits.

"Oh my god, the worst one has to be Irie-sensei," one began.

"I know! Did you see how sloppily she writes? She must be deluding herself, thinking to teach here when she was the last in the class!"

"And that Irie-kun in Class A delights in taking her down a peg or two. What a contrast those make!"

"And she, his sister-in-law, no less!"

"Who would have ever thought his brother, the "Genius of Tonan", would have married an airhead like her?"

Konomi's eyes widened, and she turned toward the glass. _Irie-sensei was related to Irie Yuuki?_

"Yes." As if in answer to her unspoken question, Irie Kotoko stood in front of her. "He is my younger brother, or brother-in-law, that is." She sniffed. "The little brat should be nicer to me. Why, I oughta—" She shook her head suddenly and grinned at Konomi. "So, I hear that you have a crush on him."

Her mouth dropped open. "No, that's not—"

"I was just like you," Kotoko sat herself next to her, "far away in Class F, dreaming about my hero in Class A. It was a long hard road, but I kept to it and eventually came out the winner." She patted Konomi on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I have a good feeling about you."

"Irie-sensei, I don't think—"

"Nonsense! You just need to have sticktoitiveness!" She leaned over and whispered, "I'll be glad to give you some pointers! So, tell me," she wiggled her hips as if to settle herself more firmly on the concrete step, "what attracted you to him?"

Konomi rolled her eyes and decided to humor her—it would make for a good laugh later. "Well, he's short, he's uncoordinated, he's got mean, cold eyes…"

"Yikes! Well," Kotoko laughed nervously, "they do say that love is blind."

"But I'm telling you that—"

"Have you told Yuuki-kun yet that you like him?"

Konomi began looking from side to side for an escape route. "No, I don't see much of Class A students, being that I'm in _Class F_." She emphasized the last two words.

"Yes, yes," the older girl placed a finger on her chin, "there _is_ the problem with distance. I'll see what I can do to help you."

"Please don't bother," Konomi pleaded with no great assurance that she would be heeded—any more than she had been for the previous few minutes.

"No bother at all!" Kotoko waved gaily at her as she skipped back to the classroom.

Konomi rested her head on her knees and moaned.

* * *

Yuuki was waylaid by Kotoko that afternoon at the lockers.

"Sagawa Konomi? Haven't the faintest idea," he answered offhandedly.

"Really? She's about this tall, hair like this," she held her own locks at shoulder length, "really cute—"

"For the last time, Kotoko, will you stop talking to me at school like we know each other?"

"But we do, Yuuki-kun!" Arms akimbo, she scowled at him. "You'd think that the little brother of a genius would have at least enough smarts to know the names of his classmates."

"But she's _not_ my classmate," he pointed out acidly. "I know all the girls in _Class A_. And there's no point in even knowing the names of girls from other classes. I doubt that I'll ever have need to deal with them, now or in the future."

"You are _such_ a pain!"

"And you are such an idiot. You'd better be prepared for my questions tomorrow, because I am going to make you regret signing up for this job."

"Why, you little—Wait until Okaasan hears about this!"

"Stop being a tattletale, Baka-chan."

Konomi, who had approached about halfway through the sibling battle, groaned at the end of the lockers. "I knew she wouldn't listen."

Misunderstanding her muttered phrase, Kotoko ran up to her and placed an arm around her. "Never mind! That was just the first battle. We are going to all-out war! I swear that I'm going to get you two together before my assignment here is over."

"Sensei, I really wish you wouldn't."


	4. Chapter 4

"Konomi-chan! Here's the plan!" Kotoko dragged Konomi into an unused classroom after school the next day and shoved a sloppily written list in her hand. "Last night I asked Yuuki-kun a lot of questions about his favorite things. He shouted at me after a time, so I'll need to continue later. But anyway, you can memorize all these, maybe bake his favorite cookies, mention his favorite band, and show how well-matched you are. Then once he sees it, he will have to believe it and you can have a mutual confession of love!" Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her eyes raised to the ceiling.

E _nough was enough._ "Say, Sensei," Konomi began, "how about we cut through all the crap and head straight for the end?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kotoko was startled.

"I'll just go confess right now and get it over with. If he rejects me, then 'que será, será'—it's over and done with."

"No, no!" Kotoko chased after the girl headed to Class 1-A. "It's too soon! Too soon!"

* * *

 _Be brave,_ Konomi told her cowardly self, now regretting letting herself get upset by Irie-sensei. _All I have to do is tell the ass I like him, get refused, and it'll be over._ However, when she slid open the door, he was not alone. _Yipes!_ she thought. _I didn't really want to have this large of an audience._

"Ah, Irie-kun?" she croaked out.

Yuuki turned to her and raised an eyebrow. Kotoko, peeking around a corner, winced at his resemblance to Naoki (and not in one of his _good_ moods).

"Uh, I'm Sagawa Konomi. You probably don't know me because I'm in Class F." She heard snickers behind Yuuki and saw his face beginning to flush. _Why,_ she moaned to herself, _didn't I think this through? Everyone is going to talk about the dumb girl in love with the genius, even if I'm not! And then his sister is expecting this big confession… Maybe I could faint, like they do in the dramas?_ However, having no idea what the teachers would do with a fainting student made her quickly discard that idea. She licked her lips, closed her eyes and said, "I like you and I'd like to be friends with you. If you don't mind?"

She cracked one eye open when she heard his little group of friends cat-calling. Unbelievably, they were making fun of Yuuki and not her! She began to grin. _This wasn't too bad._

Then Yuuki had to go and open his big Irie mouth. "I don't want to be friends with some stupid idiot from Class F." _Oh, those were fighting words!_ But then he continued, "If you really want to be my friend, try getting into the top 100 on the next midterm scores, and I'll _consider_ it."

Konomi's grin widened. _Great. No chance whatsoever._ She was free! "Thank you, Irie-kun!" She bowed and made a hasty retreat, missing the puzzled look on his face at her jubilation in defeat.

Luckily she missed Kotoko's attack on Yuuki and his immediate retaliation.

* * *

The next day Konomi swallowed her smile and made a sad face in front of Kotoko. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I tried my best, but I think I'm just going to give up on Irie-kun. The barrier is too high."

"Nonsense!" Kotoko made a fist. "Did I give up when Irie-kun refused my confession letter? _No!_ Did I give up when the Tennis Club tent blew up? _No!_ "

Konomi's eyes widened. _Was she hearing martial music in the background?_

"Did I give up when Yuuki-kun and I got lost in the woods? (By the way, don't trust pit bulls; they're actually cowards.) _No!_ Did I give up when Irie-kun was going to sacrifice his life for the company? Well, actually I did, but it all worked out. Anyway," she clasped a by-now confused Konomi to her bosom, "I will help you with Yuuki-kun, the shorter and not-quite-as-smart Irie son."

"Uh, Irie-sensei," she looked at her from the corner of her eyes, "how?"

"I will tutor you for the midterms! After all, getting into the top 100 is how I first caught Irie-kun's attention!"

 _Midterms? Oh yes, Yuuki's requirement._ "Not that I'm unappreciative, but…" Konomi paused. _Midterms? Her grades could use an extra boost._ Plus, even with an improved grade, she felt that Yuuki would want to be friends with her about as much as she wanted to be friends with him. So, no catch whatsoever. "Sounds great, Irie-sensei!" She beamed at Kotoko. "When do we start?"


	5. Chapter 5

Saturday afternoon Konomi happily rang the Irie doorbell. Her smile dimmed slightly when Yuuki opened the door.

"Oh—hello." She smiled and gave a small wave.

"What are you doing here?" He glared at her and blocked the way.

"I'm—uh—"

"Welcome, Konomi-chan!" Kotoko blithely knocked her brother-in-law into the door jamb.

"Kotoko-sensei." She bobbed a quick bow.

Kotoko put on one of her superior looks as she loftily informed Yuuki, "Konomi-chan is here to see _me_ today, Yuuki-kun. Come on," she turned to the girl, "let's go up to my room."

"Thanks for having me." Konomi did her best to keep from retaliating to the snarl on Yuuki's face. Just before she was about to yield to temptation and stick out her tongue, she was accosted by another member of the family.

"Oh my, oh my, oh my! Are you a student of Kotoko-chan's?" A middle-aged woman held hands to her mouth in—astonishment? She continued on, "Oh my, how cute!"

"How do you do?" Wide-eyed, Konomi bowed again.

"Are you the same year as Yuuki?" When Konomi nodded, the woman breathlessly inquired, "How would you like to marry into the family?"

Konomi shot a desperate look to Kotoko, who was acting as if nothing strange was going on. "Is this Irie-kun's mother?" she hissed.

Kotoko nodded with a wide smile. "Yes, this is Mrs. Irie." She leaned over and loudly whispered, "This is just how she welcomed me to the family six years ago!"

From the corner of her eye Konomi could see that Yuuki was almost purple with rage. _Great! I can play along!_ She beamed at Mrs. Irie. "I will look forward to it!"

"Oh! You must call me Obasama!" she squealed as her son thumped his way loudly upstairs and slammed a door.

* * *

Although Mrs. Irie's delicious study snacks sweetened the deal, it wasn't long before Konomi realized that the gossiping teachers had the right of it. _Kotoko-sensei really didn't know much of anything!_ They had been staring at the math book for almost an hour and had not yet solved one problem. She almost felt as if it was wasted effort. If she had tried on her own, she would have finished several by now. _Of course, the answers would most likely have been incorrect, but still…_

"No, no, I'm sure I'll get it in just a minute, Konomi-chan!" Kotoko desperately tried to assure her.

The bedroom door behind her opened, and her husband walked in. "I'm home."

Immediately distracted, she turned and called, "Oh! Welcome back, Irie-kun!"

Konomi blinked. _So this was the original, superior Irie?_ Although the resemblance was there, she could sure see that Yuuki had a ways to go. Remembering her manners, she piped up, "Thank you for having me over!"

He stood over the low table. "What're you doing?"

"This is one of my students, Konomi-chan," Kotoko happily informed him. "I'm tutoring her for the midterm tests!"

He turned away and picked up a folder on the desk. "Should a teacher be personally invested in one student like that?"

"Huh? I-it's not okay?" Kotoko's eyes were wide.

Naoki eyed Konomi. "Just let me warn you—I don't know how useful any tutoring from her will be. It could all be a waste of time."

 _I had just about come to that conclusion,_ Konomi thought, shifting her eyes away from him. _But imagine saying such a thing to your wife!_

"H-how can you say that?! I have a responsibility to help Konomi-chan succeed, too! Don't interrupt our studies, Irie-kun!"

"Okay, okay," he muttered as he opened the door he had just closed.

Since Konomi was rolling her eyes by this point she missed the conversation outside the room.

"Whoa!" Yuuki cried as the door pushed him back.

"What're you doing out here?" Naoki asked.

"Uh, just passing by!" his brother burst out defensively.

"Why don't _you_ help her study?" he asked. "That would be more helpful than who she has now. _Really_ more helpful," he repeated.

"W-why would I want to help a stupid girl like her?!" Yuuki's face was vermilion at this point. "Besides, I'm the one who has to suffer if she gets into the top 100."

"The top 100…?" Naoki felt a smile creep across his face. "Oh, I see. So there's a deeper story, eh?"

"No, there isn't!" His brother fled.

* * *

While Kotoko continued to ponder the depths of algebra, Konomi began to go over the chapter study questions in her history book so as not to make the session a total waste of time. After completing one list, she looked over. "Kotoko-sensei…" She had her head down on the table. "Please don't fall asleep, Kotoko-sensei. Now, what do I do?" she wondered.

The door opened and Naoki stuck his head in. "Mom wants to know if you need more sna—"

Konomi gave him a weak smile and a shrug.

He leaned against the wall and put hands in his pockets. "Wow…unbelievable. What was all that about her 'responsibility' to you?"

"I'm sure that Kotoko-sensei's just tired from her hard week at school. I think I'll head home now."

"How far did you get?" He leaned over and eased the book out from under his wife's sleeping head.

"Well, we finished one problem…"

"...In three hours?"

"Y-yes."

"What sections are you covering?"

"From here to here." She pointed to the table of contents.

He folded his long legs beneath himself and smiled at her. "I can see there's some sort of backstory to this special teaching session, so I'll tutor you until the midterm exams."

"No, no!" She waved hands in refusal. "I'm pretty slow. And you'll get irritated with me."

"Oh, I'm used to teaching people like that." He chuckled as if something was funny about what he said.

"Besides," she lowered her head, "Kotoko-sensei sort of misunderstood something, and that's the only reason she's helping me."

"Really? Imagine—Kotoko having a misunderstanding." His face was truly amused now. "So, did she make some sort of parallel with the midterm posting?" At the girl's nod, he followed up with, "Am I safe in assuming that you are _not_ enamored of my brother?" He laughed out loud at the look of disgust on her face. "Tell you what," he patted his wife's head, "the offer still stands, as long as you keep it a secret from this one. It may not look like it, but she's really trying her best."

"You'll truly help me?" Konomi's smile, although she was unaware of it, was bright with adoration.

Naoki leaned away from it. "What?"

"Oh," she laughed, "I was just thinking that you remind me of my Onii-chan. He used to help me with homework too." She ducked her head. "He lives with Otosan now, and I don't see him that often."

He let out a breath of air. "Thank goodness for that! No," he explained to the girl, "not that you don't get to see him, but that I remind you of him. After all, I wouldn't want to steal a second girl away from Yuuki."

"Huh?" she asked.

"Never mind. Here, use this formula and the problem will be solved."

"Oh, I see now, Irie-sensei!" She grinned up at him.

"If you're on first name terms with her, you'd better do the same with me," he laughed as he thought, _Little brother, you need to stop trying to be me all over again and open your eyes._


	6. Chapter 6

Konomi had never faced a test week with such ease before. Despite Kotoko's anticipation, she had no plans to check the results wall. She was happy with only a rise in her grade average. So she was absently stowing her outdoor shoes in the locker when she was almost knocked over by the excited woman.

"Konomi-chan, I did it! I mean— _you_ did it!" She was somehow both hugging and pounding her on the back. "Congratulations!"

The girl backed away and held her at arm's length. "What did I do now?"

"You made it on the midterm roster. You're at place 97!" She cocked her head. "I only got place 100. Does that mean that I'm better at teaching than Irie-kun?" She grinned at the girl. "I don't feel like I helped you a lot, so that must mean I'm a natural!"

Nodding, Konomi's smile faded a bit. "Yes, absolutely. But you cheered me on wonderfully!" She raised a fist and laughed honestly. She stared as Kotoko's eyes focused behind her and narrowed into an evil expression. "Koto—Irie-sensei?"

"So, what do you say now, _Little Brother_?"

Konomi gulped and turned around. "Oh. Irie-kun." She waved weakly. "About what you said before— You don't have to—"

"A deal's a deal," he stated bluntly. "I'll agree to be your friend."

"Eh?!"

"That's all I have to say!" He swiveled and walked rapidly away.

"What a snotty little jerk! Who does he think he is?" Kotoko was raging at his departing back. She turned to the girl beside her, who was also staring. "Konomi-chan?"

"Irie-sensei?" She asked without facing her. "Did Irie-kun like someone else before?" _Stupid!_ she raged at herself. _Why are you asking that?_

"Oh, uh," Kotoko ran her hands over her hair, as if to make sure there were no flyaway strands, "yes, but it was way back in elementary school. You don't have to worry about that. It's so far in the past. Plus it didn't last long. Uh, something happened."

"'Something'?" _Was that a tinge of guilt in her voice?_

"Well, you see, I invited her to the house to get to know Yuuki-kun, but Irie-kun came home and dazzled her, and that was it! He didn't speak to me for a long time."

Konomi was confused with all the Irie-kun's running around. "Okay, wait a minute. So, Irie Yuuki-kun liked someone but she started liking Naoki-sensei?" Kotoko nodded. "Ooh! That's a bit of an age difference, isn't it?"

"Not really. The little girl was three years older than Yuuki. Cute little brat, that Naomi-chan…"

"Naomi… not _Sugimoto_ Naomi?" It was hard to breathe.

"Hm, oh yes, I think that was her name. She broke his poor, little heart." Kotoko grabbed her around the shoulders. "But now you're here, and I know you'll never do that to him."

Konomi felt like she had swallowed an anvil. "Um, Irie-sensei, you know that Irie-kun, that is, Irie Yuuki-kun, doesn't really like me, right?"

"Nonsense! Trust my woman's intuition!" Kotoko raised a finger to the sky then turned to her. "By the way, how come you call Irie-kun 'Naoki-sensei'?"

Konomi could only give her a shrug and a "Who knows?" expression.

* * *

At last came the day that the student teachers said their farewells to their temporary pupils. Konomi hovered around the exit, and finally Kotoko came dragging out. She didn't understand why she didn't look happier, since she was carrying a large bouquet to her chest.

"Kotoko-sensei!" Konomi waved and ran to her.

"Ah, Konomi-chan!" She smiled at her.

"Thank you for everything!" She handed her a wrapped package. "This is for you and Naoki-sensei!"

"What!?"

"It's not much, just a set of matching coffee mugs." She took a deep breath. "'I hope you'll try hard and become a real teacher' is what I'd like to say, but I get the feeling that teaching isn't for you."

"N-not you too, Konomi-chan!" Kotoko wailed. "Those bratty A-classers…! But," she brightened, "they did give me these lovely flowers."

"Thank you very much, Kotoko-sensei!" Konomi bowed. "It was fun getting to know you and your family." Konomi turned to walk away.

"Wait a minute!" Kotoko's voice halted her, but she was not the target. She had a tight grip on her brother's arm and was frog-marching him to Konomi. "You promised that you were friends, right? Then the least you can do is walk her to the station!"

Yuuki tore his arm free. "What a pushy woman!" Konomi snorted with laughter. Yuuki glared at her. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

She pointed to her chest. "Me?"

"Who else? Don't be such a slowpoke. I'll leave you behind in a heartbeat, see if I don't!"

Konomi laughed and caught up to him. "You know, Kotoko-sensei got it all wrong. But you might be a nice person to know after all!"

"Nice?" He recoiled as if shot. "Are you looking down on me?"

* * *

The rest of the term passed fairly innocuously. People in her class began to pay her more attention after her appearance on the rankings board. Even when she denied that it was due to any particular talent of her own, she soon accumulated a larger circle of friends. Plus, the fact that she had actually stood up and confessed to Yuuki in public gave her another boost to her confidence.

Yuuki still caught her eye at times, usually when he was being klutzy on the field. Once she saw him cast a glance at her classroom after picking himself off the ground. She made sure to wave widely at him so he would know that she saw his fall. He glared at her, turned beet red, and stuck out his tongue at her. The teacher chided her for laughing during his presentation and she had to stand in the hall for twenty minutes and meditate on her offense. Sensei wasn't pleased that she was still giggling at the end of the punishment time.

* * *

That summer Konomi spent two weeks with her brother at their grandfather's farm outside Kyoto. One afternoon as she and Hiroto were wading in the creek behind the house, she turned to him. "Onii-chan!" She swallowed. "I have a confession."

He looked at her sharply. "Don't tell me you have a boyfriend already."

"No, no, nothing like that. But, hey!" She faced him. "I'm older than you were when you thought you were in love!"

"What?" He was startled then his face cleared in remembrance. "Oh, that thing!" He laughed. "I was sure dramatic with my first puppy love, wasn't I?"

"Do you still think about her?" she asked warily.

He kicked water on her. "Are you kidding? That was years ago!"

"But you moved all the way out here to get away from her—!"

"Ah, Nomi-chan," he patted her head, "I was already upset about the divorce and trying not to let it show in front of you. I suppose I used that as an excuse because I wanted to go with Dad after all."

Konomi walked beside him in silence. "I guess I can understand that. But I kind of did something awful."

"Oh, yes, your confession!" He grinned at her. "Did you throw a mud ball at Naomi-san?"

"Hardly," she scoffed. "I've never seen her again. But I looked up the boy she liked and, uh, sort of stalked him."

"Ooh-hooh! My sister, the minor criminal!" he teased. "So, how did it go?"

"I got the wrong guy entirely, Onii-chan!" she wailed. "Plus, he liked Naomi-san as well, but she liked his older brother!" The rest of the tale tumbled out.

"Wow, what a plot for a drama series." He whistled at the story. "But, hey, you didn't do anything _too_ bad to him, did you?"

"No," she said, skipping a flat rock, "but I did make a diary of revenge plots."

He leaned his head back and laughed, facing the sky. "Well, all's well that ends well, right? Now you don't have to worry about him any more."

"Except that I think I'm sort of his friend now," she admitted.

"Just a friend?" He leaned down with a twinkle in his eye.

She shoved his head away. "Yes! Except his sister-in-law and his mother seem to think otherwise."

"You'd better take care," he warned, "or you'll be kidnapped and be a teenaged bride before you know it!"

Konomi immediately showed him Plot 27 from her revenge book and shoved him into the cold water. Unfortunately, he was still faster than she was and they both returned to the house soaking wet.


	7. Chapter 7

One morning soon after summer break ended, while rinsing the breakfast dishes and singing loudly with the radio, her mother called, through the not entirely melodious noise, "Konomi-chan! Telephone!"

"Yikes! I didn't hear it ring!" She swiftly dried her hands and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"God, you have a terrible singing voice!" came the grumpy reply.

Konomi held the phone in front of her and stared at it a minute before pulling it back to her head. "Irie-kun?"

"Do you know how much trouble I went to, finding your phone number? I finally had to ask the baka, and she and Mom have been making weird plans ever since."

"You asked Kotoko-sensei—? Oh, my number. Yes, sorry," she bowed an apology, even though she was on the phone, "I don't have the same last name as my parents. It's a long story…"

"Did I say I wanted to hear it? Anyway," he cleared his throat, "the college that Onii-chan and Baka attend is having their Fall Festival. I thought if you wanted to see her, I could take you there. She'll probably be making a spectacle of herself again," he muttered.

"A festival!" She suddenly perked up. "With games and food?"

"Uh, yeah," he answered. "Don't tell me you're one of those…"

"I just love festival food!" she exclaimed. "Where should I meet you?" After getting the details and hanging up, she bounced up and down with glee then halted herself abruptly. Why was she getting so excited over seeing Yuuki, of all people? _Oh, well,_ she sighed, _it was probably overflow of happiness at getting to see Kotoko-sensei and Naoki-sensei again._

* * *

"Puppy!" was the first thing out of her mouth when they met up. Yuuki looked startled, then concerned, but Chibi was taking quite well the enthusiastic girl now hanging on his massive neck.

"Uh, you like dogs, I guess," he surmised with a smirk.

Konomi rubbed her nose on Chibi's ear. "I love them! But Mom is allergic so I can't have any furry pets. What's his name?"

"Chibi," he said, waiting for her response.

"Really?" she asked. "Really-really?" Then she turned to the Saint Bernard. "Yes, you are a sweet Chibi puppy, aren't you? Yes, you are, you are! Mmmm!" She scratched behind his ears as she baby-talked.

"Uh, I thought you wanted to see Bak—uh, Kotoko."

"Right!" She jumped up, keeping a hand on Chibi. The dog in return turned his head and licked her arm lovingly. "Will Naoki-sensei be here as well?"

"He didn't really want to, but Kotoko nagged him into it."

"Aw, I doubt that!" she countered. "He didn't seem like such a mean person when I saw him." She slanted him a look. "Not like his little brother."

"Hey! Who you calling mean?" he blustered. "Didn't I invite you out today?"

"Yes, you did. And just meeting this darling made my day!" She bent down and hugged Chibi again. "So where _are_ Kotoko-sensei and Naoki-sensei?"

"Urgh!" he growled. "Stop calling that baka 'sensei'!" He pointed. "Probably near the tennis courts. They're having a sort of Pro-Am tournament today with a car for the grand prize."

"Ooh!" she breathed. "I didn't know college festivals had such big prizes."

Yuuki snorted. "They don't. Onii-chan says that it's some scheme of a retired sempai-turned-auto-salesman for advertisement. The guy doesn't really think he'll lose out on it, since he's playing in the tournament as well."

"I thought Kotoko-san said that Naoki-sensei was a great tennis player."

"Yeah." Yuuki grinned. "But Sudo-sempai appointed him as referee so he can't play. And Kotoko really sucks at tennis."

Konomi sighed. "That's too bad. It would be nice to see someone I know winning."

"Winning?" He laughed. "Her match is going to be the shortest on record. Look, here she comes! Even _she_ knows she hasn't a chance."

Sure enough, Kotoko appeared before them fairly down-hearted. "Stupid Sudo-san," she complained. "Irie-kun and I could have beaten him this time—I'm sure!"

"So, who's your partner?" asked Konomi.

"My friend, Chris-san," Kotoko turned and waved to a blonde girl who looked distinctly out of place among all the Japanese students. "She's English and says that she has played a little tennis before."

"A little—!" Yuuki laughed. "You're going to need a lot more than that!"

"Good day, Yuuki-kun-chan!" Chris ran over and bowed to them. "Is this your little sweetheart?"

Konomi's eyes bugged out. Yuuki leaned over. "Her Japanese isn't that good, so don't get your hopes up."

"As if!" she snapped then turned and bowed to the girl. "I am Sagawa Konomi. Pleased to meet you. So, you are playing tennis today?"

"Ah, yes, desu!" She made a small frown." I am a little out of practice. When I was at school in Paris, I used to play with my neighbor Serena-san, but that was a few months ago, right before I came to Japan. But," she gave them a big smile, "I will do my best so Kotoko can win that car, desu!"

"Why does she say 'desu' so often?" Konomi whispered over Chibi's back.

Yuuki shrugged. "Gaijin," he said, "and her Japanese is about the same level as Kotoko's English, to boot!"

Konomi gave him a small shove. "Hah! You need to stop insulting everyone. And by the way, I thought you said there was going to be food here?"

"What? You expect me to pay for you to eat?"

"Of course not!" She laughed, not seeing his face fall slightly. "But we might as well stock up if we're going to be watching tennis matches for the next hour or so."

Several teams won and lost before Kotoko and Chris entered the court. After a minute of play, Konomi turned to Yuuki. "Which one of them was supposed to be the 'Pro' in the 'Pro-Am' team?"

All the Class A leader could manage was a slack-jawed, "Wow."

The two players—Kotoko appearing slightly thunderstruck—waved to the younger pair in the stands. "We won the first one, neh?" Chris called. "I'm not so bad, huh?"

"Hey, Yuuki," Konomi shoved his arm. "Earlier, didn't she say 'Serena-san'? You don't think—"

He shot a look at her. "Can't be."

* * *

The unlikely duo swept the succeeding bouts and met their opponents for the final match at the net.

"Oh-ho!" cackled the mustachioed man that Yuuki pointed out as Sudo, the creator of the event. "Blessed with an amazing partner as you are, I'm still impressed that you made it this far, Aihara."

Spearing him with a steely gaze, Kotoko countered, "You've used all kinds of dirty tricks to get here, but it all ends now. That car is _ours_."

"So you've busted out the big talk, eh, Aihara? Don't make me laugh, you eternal ball-fetcher!"

"Stop calling me Aihara already! I am Irie Kotoko—victor in love!" It almost appeared as if the two were going to escalate their argument to the physical level.

"Enough personal chit-chat," said the less-than-enthusiastic referee. "One-set match, Matsumoto/Sudo vs. Irie/Robbins."

"My," Konomi confided to Yuuki, "this is just like a movie. Too bad we ate all the popcorn."

"Here," he handed over a box, "I have some takoyaki left."

"Ooh, thanks!" She gleefully opened it.

"Such a glutton," he muttered. "Just like someone else I know."

* * *

Konomi and Yuuki walked side-by-side through the twilight, Konomi holding Chibi's leash. "Thank you for inviting me today," she said with a smile. "I enjoyed the festival and food, and of course, meeting this baby!" She leaned down and patted Chibi's back.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Why did Kotoko-san give Chris-san the car?" she asked. "She acted like she really wanted it."

Yuuki shuddered. "Just the thought of that baka behind the wheel is enough to give me nightmares for a month!"

"Meanie!" she laughed.

"You don't know her! I think Onii-chan was relieved too. He sure wasn't trying to convince her otherwise."

"Your brother's so lucky to have someone like Kotoko-san," she said wistfully.

He asked warily, "Huh? Did someone slip you sake instead of juice?"

"Well, here's my house," she said. She handed the leash to Yuuki and bent down and cuddled Chibi's face. "Bye-bye, sweetheart!" She stood and held out her hand to Yuuki. "Thanks again for inviting me."

He looked down at his feet after releasing it. "Uh, if sometime you'd like to, uh, get together and walk Chibi with me—"

"Yes, yes!" She almost leaped for joy.

"Then, do you have a cell number? So I don't have to bother your mom," he hastily added.

"Sure," she said, giving it to him. "So, can I call you, too?"

He lifted his chin and looked away. "I guess that'll be all right. But not too often!"

"Don't worry," she laughed and waved as she opened the gate. "Bye-bye!"

Yuuki and the dog turned toward their neighborhood. "How about that?" he asked the animal. "I think she likes you more than she likes me." He sniffed. "Not that I want her to like me, though!"


	8. Chapter 8

Konomi returned to school after Christmas break, ecstatic over the fact that her brother had visited them for a few days. She did have to hush him when he tried to tease her about her "boyfriend" after Yuuki called to wish her "Merry Christmas". She had heard Kotoko and Mrs. Irie in the background and figured they had been up to some of their tricks. Luckily, he apparently didn't need company walking Chibi during that time or else she would really have been in for it. Now that he was older, Hiroto could be an annoying pain at times.

Normally she didn't approach Yuuki at school, sensitive over their class distances and also not wanting to get on the wrong side of his female classmates, remembering well her experience in elementary school. However, she noticed that he looked overly somber several days in a row, so she ambushed him after school.

"Hey, Irie-kun, is everything all right?" she asked, popping up from some bushes.

"Ach!" He stepped backwards, a hand over his heart. "Don't scare me like that, you crazy woman!" he wheezed.

"Sorry." She climbed over and dusted leaves off. "I didn't want you to lose face with Class A, but you've been looking worried so I decided to check on things."

He rubbed his cold nose with the back of a mitten, frowning over the first part of her sentence but choosing not to address it. "That baka Kotoko is giving us fits. She found out that she didn't have enough credits to graduate, got into a big fight with Onii-chan and stormed out of the house. Mom's frothing at the mouth, and Onii-chan is just sitting there, like there's nothing wrong."

"I'm sure that's not the case," Konomi argued. "I bet that Naoki-san is plenty worried."

"Not that you can tell," Yuuki muttered. "He's like the Great Stone Face. And even _I've_ lost track of where she is."

"Aha!" She sprang back and pointed at him. "So you _do_ care for her!"

He frowned at her. "I never said I didn't. But I'm beginning to wonder about Onii-chan…"

"Don't worry!" She gave him a big—albeit brief—hug. "I know he loves her a lot."

"How can you be that sure?" he scoffed. "You barely met him."

"Woman's intuition," she proclaimed confidently, while crossing her fingers in hope that hers was more accurate than Kotoko's [chapter 6].

"Bah!"

"Don't knock it just because you don't have it."

"Of course I don't have it! I'm not a girl!"

She was happy to hear from Yuuki shortly after of Kotoko's safe return home. "Although not without almost poisoning half the town by working in a lunch room! And now she thinks to become a nurse." He shuddered. "I don't know which I'm more scared of: her in a kitchen or her with a hypodermic needle!"

Konomi nodded in agreement. After all, she had tasted Kotoko's cooking before, and once was enough.

* * *

Almost two more years passed by in a flash. Konomi, while not at the top of her class, was never in danger of failing a course. Infrequent reunions with her favorite canine and his caretaker provided bright spots second only to visits to or from her brother. But as fall changed slowly to winter during her third year, the teachers of Class F began issuing dire warnings of test score levels required to enter the escalator high school.

"It is by no means assured that you will be accepted. Tonan High School has high standards. Indeed, some students in other classes might drop a level due to outside competition. I advise you, Class F students, to look for an alternate place of education as a back-up."

Konomi followed those instructions with a heavy heart. However, she was not without hope of staying in the system and took every opportunity to cram her brain with as much information as possible. Thus, she was walking in the nearby park, head down, studying flash cards, when she literally ran into another person. In the middle of her apologies, she was grasped by the shoulders and greeted loudly, "Konomi-chan! How great to see you! You haven't been by the house lately!" Kotoko chattered on. "Did you get your hair cut? Oh, it looks so cute! How does Yuuki-kun like it?"

"Huh?" asked the befuddled Konomi, who just a moment before was memorizing events of the Muromachi era.

"Wait! Don't tell me that you've changed your mind and like someone else now? Not that I'd blame you," she continued uninterrupted, "because I'm sure that you could do a lot better than _him_. But still—! To have someone else in the family that's...like me—oh, and that Okaasan likes, too! Now, Konomi-chan, tell Kotoko-neechan all about it!"

"No, no, it's not like that," Konomi was finally allowed to say. She waved the cards as a visual aid. "I'm just trying to take every chance to study. Sensei said there was a cut-off for Tonan High and that most of Class F wouldn't make it. I'd hate to learn a new school and its rules."

"Cut-off—!" Kotoko put a hand to her face and staggered backwards. "That word brings back bad memories!" She shook her head and gave her attention back to the teenager. "So, how's the studying going?"

Konomi shook her head. "Not so well. Nothing seems to stick. I think with the stress and all…" She pounded her temple. "My stupid brain. I just don't know what to do…"

"Konomi-chan!" Kotoko grasped her jacket lapels and pulled her close, face animated. "I understand! I know exactly how you feel! The anguish of being an exam student! But don't worry, Konomi-chan, everything will be all right." She appeared to calm down, but it was only a momentary aberration. She raised her fist to the sky, and Scarlett O'Hara-like, shouted, "As God is my witness, I will get you into the same high school as Yuuki-kun!"

"Uh," Konomi raised a finger in objection, "that's not—"

But it was too late. Typhoon Kotoko was barreling forth out of season and dragging Konomi in her wake.


	9. Chapter 9

Yuuki was skimming a math study guide in his room when several knocks were made on his door. Blithely unaware of the fate awaiting him, he answered, "Yeah?"

"He-e-ey! Studying hard?" His sister-in-law swept in with a tea tray.

"Why do you keep bothering me?" he snapped.

Kotoko smiled sweetly at him. "I just thought you'd like to take a little break and have some tea!"

He rested his elbow on the booklet, marking his place, while he turned to face her. Although he had nothing to fear as far as passing the tests, no way was he letting her interrupt him. "Just leave the tea and get out!" He looked at the tray and had his first taste of fear. "Why are there _three_ cups?"

"So, what are you studying now? Math? Nice, nice!" She whipped out the booklet, causing his arm to hit the desk surface with a bang.

He scowled as he rubbed his funny bone. "Get lost!"

The expression on her face was priceless. She pulled the page to within fifteen centimeters of her nose. "Huh? Did they teach this kind of stuff back in middle school?"

"That's a high school drill book," he snidely informed her. "There's nothing more for me to learn at middle school level."

"Wow! That's amazing!" she marveled. "You're totally ahead of the curve!"

"Yeah!" He snatched the book from her and turned his back. "So shove off, now that you're in awe of my greatness."

She approached with deathly silence and whispered in his ear, "This means that you'd have no trouble tutoring someone else, now, would you?"

He froze momentarily. "What do you—"

"Come on in!" Kotoko called towards the door.

When Yuuki whipped his head around, he saw a hesitant Konomi in the hall. She gave him a feeble wave as she said, "Hello. Guess who?"

"What is _she_ doing here?!" he pointed and shouted, although he had a sneaking suspicion what the answer was.

"I invited her over—"

"Dragged, more like," Konomi muttered.

"—and I think it would be a great idea if you helped Konomi-chan study for the high school entrance exam! It's be easy as pie for you, right?"

Since Kotoko somehow had the ability to set him off so dramatically, Yuuki forgot the guest and went at her full throttle. "Why should I have to help a moron from Class F at such a crucial time as this?" he roared, ignoring the fact that he had just denied that he was in any danger of failing.

With a saccharine smile on her face, Kotoko responded, "You may be the brother of a genius, but you can't be called the real thing unless you can also teach what you know. I know it's like extending a hand to a rival, but—"

"Why would I consider someone like her to be my rival?" Yuuki stopped short upon seeing Konomi glaring at him. He flushed and looked down, but his sister-in-law barrelled on.

"Besides, once upon a time, I, too, was tutored by a kind and wonderful Irie-kun, and, because of it, I made it to the roster of top 100 test scores."

"Dead last, as I recall," Yuuki couldn't help but interject. "Plus that's only because you were blackmailing Onii-chan. Don't think he didn't tell me all about it once I knew about those pictures!"

Diverted, Kotoko cocked her head to the side. "Oh, yes, wasn't he adorable?"

 _This was enough!_ "You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Yuuki pounded the wall in frustration. "I have no reason or obligation to agree to anything whatsoever!"

"But Yuuki-kun," Kotoko began then stepped back as Konomi walked forward and pounded the wall also, snarling at him, nose-to-nose.

"No, you don't!" she yelled. "But don't take it out on Kotoko-san, who is only trying to get you to do a kind thing for someone who—Well, maybe I'm not exactly your friend, but I thought I wasn't your enemy!"

"Uh," Yuuki began, but Konomi was having none of it.

"Sure, she may come on strong, but she _does_ care for people. I admire her for that." She stood straight and looked daggers at him, chin raised high. "This wasn't my idea at all. And I certainly would not want to be beholden to _you_ in the slightest." She backed to the door. "You know, I never did like you back then, but I had come to believe that you really weren't a waste of oxygen. I guess I never should have discarded my old nickname for you."

"Oh, what was that?" Kotoko perked up.

She gave Yuuki one more scathing glare, head to toe and back again. "That Darn Irie! Too bad I'm too nice to say anything worse!" She spun on her heel and turned to walk down the hall, angry that her eyes were blinded by unexpected tears. She bumped into something solid and bounced back, not falling only because strong hands caught her shoulders.

"Simply amazing," said Irie Naoki drily.

"What? Were you there, Irie-kun?" Kototo looked a little fearful.

"Onii-chan! Did you hear her? She's trying to push this on me without any consideration—"

Naoki handed Konomi a handkerchief and patted her back. "Make sure you're clear who it is that is doing the pushing. This one here seems to have the same fire that made me succumb to Kotoko, but hers appears to be aimed _against_ you, Ototo." Yuuki's mouth dropped open as his older brother looked at him in mild disappointment. "Why don't you help her?"

"What?" Yuuki gasped.

"It's the perfect opportunity. It can act as a review for you, too," he added reasonably.

"But, Onii-ch—"

"Right!" Kotoko could not be cowed for long. "That's just what I was thinking!"

"Or I could tutor her again, if you prefer."

Yuuki's mouth opened and closed. "Fine!" he finally burst out. "But only—"

Konomi sniffed. "Do you think I want your half-hearted help?" She turned and bowed to Naoki. "Thank you for the offer, Naoki-niisan, but I will not trouble your family again. Goodbye, Kotoko-san!"

"Wait!" Kotoko made as if to chase her but her husband caught her by the arm.

"Yuuki?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his brother. "It's _your_ call."

Yuuki raised and lowered his shoulders, then huffed out a breath before following the girl downstairs.

"Irie-kun, that was so cool!" Kotoko praised him with stars in her eyes.

He sighed as he shook his head. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of other people's business?"

She stuck out her bottom lip. "But Konomi reminds me so much of me back then. And Yuuki was being mean like you were!"

"That was a long time ago. Forgive me?" He rested his forehead on hers.

She batted her eyes at him. "You know, the youngsters left the house…"

Naoki chuckled and guided her towards their suite. "So they did…"


	10. Chapter 10

"Mean-eyed troll!"

"Unforgiving ninny!"

"Arrogant asshole!"

"Stubborn female!"

Chibi let out a wheeze and lay on the sidewalk, waiting for the fireworks to be over.

"Oh yeah, bring up gender, why don't you? I thought you were a genius, Irie-kun!"

"I never said I was a genius! And you _are_ stubborn! _And_ female! Plus," he paused to take a breath, "I'm willing to tutor you."

"Willing? Doubtful." She folded her arms and presented her back to him.

"Okay. I'm sorry I yelled. _And_ insulted you." He circled around to face her. "Kotoko-baka brings out the worst in me."

Konomi snickered, almost against her will. "You bring out the worst in her, too. Sometimes she's scary when she gets on a roll."

Yuuki laughed with her. "You don't know the half of it." He quickly sobered. "It _would_ be a good review for me. Won't you let me help you?"

"Well, as long as we study someplace other than your house!" She shuddered. "Kotoko-san probably would start making crazy plans again."

"With my mom right beside her!" Yuuki agreed. "Okay, library maybe?"

"Sure!" She gave him a big thumbs up. "Bye-bye, Chibi-kun!" The dog woofed in acknowledgement. "Say," she looked up at Yuuki, "why'd you bring him along? Trying to soften me up?"

"No," he snorted, "Mom had him at the front door and just shoved the leash in my hand. Seems he'd been whining a while to go out."

"Well, it was good to see you, anyway." She kissed him (the dog, that is) between his ears then looked up at the owner. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

He nodded and turned away. "Come on, boy." Yuuki gave a tug on the leash. "No, we're not going any farther! I swear, one would think you had a girlfriend the way you always want to head that direction."

The dog cast one last mournful look in the distance but followed his master obediently.

* * *

Despite Yuuki having set a time limit of Christmas holidays for the study help, he never failed to assist Konomi afterwards when she came across a particular stumper. That is not to say that he did it without complaining, however.

"The deal was that I only tutor you over the winter vacation!"

"Yes, I know," she gave him a wheedling smile, "but just this _one_ thing?"

"Ugh, that's what you've been saying ever since we started third term…!"

She pulled one of her mother's homemade macarons from a bag and waggled it in front of him. "Ple-e-ease!"

"Well, come on, then, what is it?" he growled as he snatched the cookie from her.

* * *

"Good luck, Konomi-chan!" Her mother and step-brother waved her off on the day of the qualification test. She had been treated to a hearty breakfast with plenty of fish to help her brain remember what Yuuki had tried to shove into it. Hiroto had even sent her a wake-up text so that she wouldn't oversleep.

Konomi chuckled as she walked briskly. Her head had never felt so packed full of information. She had a good feeling about today.

The sudden screech of brakes and a thud accompanied by a "Yip!" had her spinning around. _What? Some idiot had hit a dog and then sped off like the coward he was?_ As she ran toward the prone animal, she got a dreadful feeling of familiarity. "Chibi!" she called as she sped up. The dog whined and turned his head to her.

She looked every direction, searching for an accompanying Irie, but saw no one. "Did you sneak out, Chibi?" she asked, patting him down to find the injury. When he whined louder as she touched his back leg, she rocked back on her heels. "Well, it looks like it's up to me. Let's see how much you weigh, big boy!"

* * *

Needless to say, Konomi was late to the test. After silently enduring a harsh scold from Sensei, she was allowed to take the remaining portions. As she glumly walked toward the shoe lockers, she thought she heard Kotoko call her name. Before she could lift her head, Yuuki's cold voice spoke out.

"Hey."

He was scowling at her, _and for good reason,_ Konomi thought. _All of his hard work gone to waste_. "Irie-kun," she began.

"Pretty lackadaisical, aren't you?"

"Eh?"

"My classroom has a great view of the front of the school. I happened to be looking out at the beginning of third period. Guess who was high-tailing it in at that time?"

She flinched. "You...saw."

"Why were you late? Go on, let's hear it."

"Um," Konomi's brain, already over-stressed from the morning's emergency and the tests, felt sluggish. Even if she told him the truth, there was still no doubt that she had wasted his precious study time. She plastered a smile on her face and answered as unconcernedly as she could, "I overslept! I was so anxious last night that I couldn't sleep, and—" Once her tongue started moving, she couldn't stop it. "Haha, I totally can't believe myself either. I never knew I was such a Nervous Nellie."

"I thought you were serious," Yuuki gritted out. "So was _that_ the extent of your determination?" The calm gave way to the storm. "I was stupid for ever helping you! You realize I'm never going to get back all the time I wasted on you, don't you?" Oblivious to the growing audience, he proceeded, "Whatever! Don't make the cut-off! Drop out! See if I care!"

The outsider among the teenagers suddenly burst forth as Kotoko shoved her way through. "How _could_ you, Yuuki-kun? There are some things you just shouldn't say—"

He turned and gave her the hairy eyeball, as if pointing the finger at the true culprit.

Kotoko was only silenced briefly. "Hey, wait a minute—!"

"It's all right, Kotoko-san," Konomi said softly. "Yuuki-kun is right."

"Konomi-chan." Kotoko sounded as if she was about to cry.

"He tutored me so well, and I wasted all his efforts. It's no wonder he's angry with me." She covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry."

Seeing that all the females in the immediate area moved to engulf Konomi in sympathetic hugs, Yuuki ground out a curse and spun on his heel.

* * *

Dinner was fairly silent at the Irie home that evening, mainly because two of the family members were not speaking to each other. Yuuki left the table early. "Oh! Are you finished eating already?" asked his mother.

"Yeah, I'm done," he said quietly, heading for the stairs.

Concerned, his father called after him, "Hey, Yuuki? What about today's test?"

"I'm pretty sure I got 100%," he replied in a monotone.

"Oh, okay," Mr. Irie said, slightly confused. "Why's he in such a bad mood?" he asked his wife.

"Really, it's so unpleasant." She frowned after him.

Kotoko didn't say a word.

"Hey, what's this?" Naoki suddenly asked, kneeling down next to the resting dog. "Chibi, what happened to your leg?" He touched a professionally wrapped bandage.

His mother hopped up. "Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you. When he came home earlier, he had that bandage on, and he's been dragging his foot a little bit too. He ran out again this morning and seems to have gotten hurt somewhere."

"What? Then who fixed you up, Chibi?" Naoki rubbed his head, but all the dog could do was whimper.

"It's a mystery," his mother pronounced. "There's no way to even thank whoever it was."

Meanwhile, Yuuki lay on his bed in his darkened room, recalling various looks of comprehension that had spread on Konomi's face whenever he successfully explained something that her Class F brain could understand. _Idiot,_ he muttered, throwing a review book against the wall.


	11. Chapter 11

One day, shortly after February succeeded January, Kotoko caught up to Konomi outside the school grounds.

"I see," she said after they had sat down on a bench and shared news, "so you got accepted into Daichi Girls High, huh?"

"Yes," she replied, smoothing her skirt.

"It's going to be a little lonely without you around." Kotoko looked sadly at her.

Konomi smiled. "Yes, but it's only two stations away, and the uniforms are super cute, too. Plus, thanks to Irie-kun's strict tutoring, I totally aced the entrance exam there."

"Really?" Kotoko was astonished. "Those are unusual words from a Class F student."

"I guess so." Konomi giggled then sobered. "So...how's Irie-kun doing?"

"Hmm, well," Kotoko put on a thinking pose, "he's been in such a bad mood ever since, always scowling with eyes all glaring like this—" she made an ugly face, "and it's always 'Get out of my way, Kotoko!' and 'Shut up, Kotoko!'" She lowered her voice in imitation.

"I see." Konomi stifled a giggle. "He's still that angry with me." She sighed and leaned back. "It's too bad we're about to graduate. I wish this wasn't how he'll remember our sort-of friendship, but," she turned her head, "it's my own fault so I guess it can't be helped."

Kotoko left her and headed home. She was passed on the way by a runaway Chibi and a trailing Yuuki who barely had control of him. "Hey, slow down!" the boy hollered. "Your leg only just healed!"

"Chibi taking you for a walk?" Kotoko asked once she caught up and helped slow the canine.

Yuuki snarled at her then replied, "Yeah. His leg's all better now, and he's been going crazy wanting me to take him outside."

"Ah, I bet he has a girlfriend he wants to go see!" Kotoko patted Chibi warily, still fearful of being squashed. "I wonder what she's like. I'll tag along with you and find out." After a few minutes she pulled back. "Hey, Yuuki-kun…"

"What is it?"

"I heard Konomi-chan didn't make the cut-off."

"Oh. Well, can't say it's unexpected."

Seeing that he was not jumping down her throat for bringing up the subject, she hustled back to his side. "So, she'll be going to the girls high school in the next town."

"...Is that so? Huh, I'm surprised she even made it in."

Her temper snapped. "Why do you always have to be like this? Do you want to part this way? It's not as if Konomi-chan did any of this on purpose—"

"I'll be glad to be rid of her!" he shot back. "I'll never have to see her stupid face again!"

"You don't have to say it like that—!" She appeared close to an apoplexy, and he didn't look much better.

"Shut up! It's got nothing to do with you, anyway!"

"Chibi?" The two arguers swung to meet the new party. "Ah, so it _is_ you, Chibi-kun!" An older man was speaking to the dog. "You can run again, now? Good, good!" Chibi appeared to cower away. "Haha, don't worry, I won't do anything to you today!"

"You know Chibi?" Kotoko asked.

"Oh, pardon me," he smiled at them, "but the name 'Chibi' for a St. Bernard was so odd that it just stuck with me." At their confused expressions, he continued, "You see, I'm a veterinarian. My practice is just down the block. We met at that time—I think it was on the 12th—you know, when Chibi got hit by a car?"

"What?!" they replied in stereo.

"Eh? You didn't know? A girl around, oh, middle-school age, I'd say, brought him in." He looked at them, puzzled. "You mean to tell me that she's not your little sister or something? Apparently she was there when Chibi darted out into traffic and his rear leg was bumped by a car."

Unaware that the listeners had turned into statues, he laughingly continued. "It was quite a sight, I can tell you—a little girl in her school uniform, lugging this huge guy in on her back. He must have been so heavy for her! But all she kept asking was, 'Is Chibi all right? Is he all right?' while tears streamed from her eyes…"

Tears were threatening to fall from Kotoko's eyes as well as she realized, "The 12th… Y-yuuki-kun… C-could it be…? It had to have been—Konomi-chan…" her voice trailed away.

"Kotoko, watch Chibi for me!" He tossed the leash to her.

"Yuuki-kun!" she cried as she fumbled to get a good grip. "You know I can't hold Chibi ba— Whoa, boy!" she called desperately, digging her heels in.

* * *

"What idiot is leaning on the bell like that?" Konomi muttered while trying to help Makio with his multiplication problems. "I'll get it, Mom!" she called to her mother, busy working on dinner. "Just once would do," she groused as she opened the door. "Oh, Irie-kun!" She walked to the gate where he stood panting. "Did anything happe—"

"K-konomi," he gasped out. "T-that day— Are you the one who took Chibi to the hospital?"

He could tell the answer from her facial expression, but she looked down and repeated what she had said earlier, "I overslept."

"It _was_ you, wasn't it! There's no one else it could be!" he argued. "Why did you do it?" he shouted in anger and frustration. "Now your education—maybe even your whole life—is derailed because of it!"

It was no use denying it. "Well, because Chibi was injured right in front of me. I couldn't leave him there, knowing how much you—I mean, _I_ —love him." Yuuki was staring at her speechless, so she rapidly continued, trying to explain his incorrect reasoning. "U-um, but it's okay. I'm actually kind of looking forward to my new school. I won't have to worry about rankings or what class I'm in… So it's probably for the best that I ended up at somewhere my own level. It'll be less stressful."

He suddenly reached across the gate and hugged her close. "...I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Tell me, what can I do to make it up to you. How can I apologize?"

Taken aback, she said the first thing that came to mind. "You know, I blanked out during the English and Biology tests that day, so I wouldn't have passed anyway, but the Japanese history that you coached me on was easy. Everything you taught me was on the test." She smiled at him in reassurance.

"Hey," he sniffed, "let me try again before the college entrance exam. I'll see if I can do better."

"Um, okay," she agreed. "Ah, would you like to stay for dinner?"

He released her and backed away. "No, uh, I should get back to— Oh no! I left Kotoko with Chibi! Bye!" He began running. "I'll call you later!"

"Sure?" she said, waving at his retreating back, not certain exactly what had happened.

* * *

Kotoko sighed. "I wonder how those two are doing?" She turned to the Doberman currently rubbing noses with Chibi through the fence. "What do you see in him, anyway?"


	12. Chapter 12

Over the next year Konomi settled in well with her new school. She made several friends to spend time with on weekends. Of course, the Iries still popped up occasionally. Kotoko dropped by every now and then to mope about Naoki being away for a specialty program in Kobe or to otherwise complain about nursing courses and what rude things her classmates had recently said to her. Konomi hoped that she would not be as challenged when it came time for _her_ to go to college, but she had to admit that she and the older girl shared a lot of similarities.

Yuuki sometimes called, on the pretext of seeing if there were any subjects that she needed help with. Konomi unashamedly picked his admittedly superior brain when she was experiencing a challenge in class. Occasionally he would end the call with an invitation for the movies or another such outing. Since she knew well the value of friends, she always accepted—especially if the offer included time with Chibi—unless she had family plans. Somehow Kotoko always found out about these excursions and would call the following week asking pointed questions. Konomi chuckled because the young woman still clung onto the idea that she and Yuuki were a romantic couple.

For some strange reason Naoki appeared to share that belief, based upon comments he made at his big "Welcome Back from Kobe!" party. Yuuki almost had a conniption when he overheard their conversation until Konomi put a fist in his chest and told him to stop acting like an ass. Naoki had simply smirked and moved to join his wife.

* * *

The main problem she had in school, Konomi admitted late in the second year, was the location of another public high school near Daichi's train stop. She had complained to her brother at Christmas that boys kept approaching her on the trip, asking her out. "It's not that I have a problem turning them down," she explained, "but don't you think they'd get the idea after the first refusal? I like to do my last minute-studying during the ride."

He had offered to accompany her on a few trips, now that he was attending college in Tokyo. She had laughed and said that she was able to handle it just fine on her own, "thank you very much, without a nosy older brother starting a fight with younger kids."

Hiroto had ruffled her short hair and claimed that it was her own fault for growing up so pretty. "The offer remains open," he promised, before heading out to supervise—or hijack—a snowball fight involving Makio and his friends from the neighborhood.

Still, a few weeks later she felt that it was highly unfair that one of the more persistent boys had managed to catch her in a shopping area on a weekend during her own time. She had just finished purchasing yarn to make her brothers scarves for Valentine's Day when the young man and one of his constant companions approached her.

The friend tried to extol the virtues of the other. "Look, he's really a good guy! You may not know it, going to Daichi High, but lots of girls at our school would be happy to date him."

"I think you're really cute," the boy complimented her. "Won't you at least give me a chance? We can hang out in that café over there. It's a public place and all…"

"But, I've already told you…" she began.

"Is there anyone else?"

The friend added, "He has a big crush on you. Of course, we understand if you have a boyfriend already."

"I'll back off then," he assured her. "So, do you? Have a boyfriend, that is?"

"No, I don't," she told them flatly. "But I have no interest in dating you, so will you please leave me alone in the future?"

She watched the boys not-so-good-heartedly retreat, unaware of the witnesses behind her.

Yuuki was holding Kotoko back, shocked silent himself, not that he could have gotten a word in edgewise. "What do you mean, you don't have a boyfriend?" she tried to holler through his muffling hand. "You do, and he's right over here. Why don't you turn around? Yuuki, let me go! Now," she ordered, finally freed, "go tell her so! Yuuki?"

"I'm going home," he said and walked off with the bags of groceries that she had dragged him out of the house to carry.

* * *

After eight years, one would have thought Mrs. Irie would have given up trying to teach Kotoko to knit. She struggled with tight stitches, missed stitches, dropped stitches… you name it. Luckily, she had a more apt pupil, one that was about to arrive for instruction on a particularly elaborate pattern that she was incorporating in a scarf, _most likely for her younger son_ , she hummed to herself.

Kotoko happily dropped the mangled yarn when the doorbell rang and opened the door to Konomi. "Good afternoon, Kotoko-chan, Mrs. Irie! Thanks for helping me out again today."

"You're starting kind of late, aren't you?" asked Kotoko, the world's slowest at needlecrafts.

"Ah, not exactly," Konomi laughed. "I just need help for a stitch that appears periodically as an alternating design on the scarf."

"Alternating…? Sounds complicated. Oh, well, come on in!" Kotoko led her towards the waiting Mrs. Irie. "Say," she said, "the other day, near the station…" She halted when their way was intercepted by a grim-faced Yuuki.

"Hello, Irie-kun." Konomi smiled at him. "I'm here again…"

"Yes!" Kotoko interrupted her loudly. "We're doing last-minute Valentine's knitting, so you should make yourself scarce!"

"What did you come for?"

Konomi stared at him. He hadn't spoken in that tone of voice since she had bombed the high school test. "Ah…"

"What are you talking about?" Kotoko asked slyly. "Isn't it obvious? She probably also came hoping to get a glimpse of you-know-who! But later, so shoo!"

"Oh, really? I assume my baka sister is referring to me. "

"Probably," Konomi answered hesitantly.

"Well, we both know she's wrong, don't we?" he asked.

"Sure," she agreed. _Something seemed a little off…_

"And I know whatever's in that bag isn't for me, is it?" Konomi gazed at him in puzzlement. "You keep coming over here to my house like you're my girlfriend."

"Hey—"

He glared at her even fiercer, if possible. "Even though you're not."

"Yuuki-kun!" His mother's and Kotoko's voices scolded in stereo.

"I never said I was!" Konomi spat at him. "What have I done _now_ for you to treat me like this?" She felt a heavy weight in her chest and spun around. "Sorry, I'll be going!" As she ran out the door, she sped by Naoki, approaching up the walk.

"Konomi-chan?" he asked. He entered to find his brother being verbally assaulted by his wife and mother. "Did something happen?" Between the epithets of "Brute!" "Savage!" and "Lout!" he interspersed, "It looked like she was crying."

"I knew it!" the female harpies cried and continued berating the teenager. Naoki shrugged and continued upstairs. Yuuki was on his own with whatever _that_ was.

* * *

That evening in the study, reading the latest medical articles, Naoki replied, "Yes?" to a knock on the door.

"Got a minute, Onii-chan?"

"Sure, Yuuki. What's up?" _As if I don't have a good idea…_

"Ah, well…nothing in particular… You're not on duty tonight?"

"Nope."

"Say, what are you studying?"

 _He was almost as bad as Kotoko at getting to the point._ "Respiratory distress syndrome."

"Oh, look, you've got the 'Kochi Kame' series." He had now moved over to the bookshelves.

 _This had gone on long enough._ "You have something you want to discuss, don't you? What is it?"

"O-onii-chan...what, um, made you...fall in love with Kotoko?" Naoki seemed to flinch, but Yuuki barrelled on. "Well, I mean, Kotoko seems like the exact opposite of the type of girl you'd like. So when exactly did you fall in love with her?"

He turned to stare knowingly at his younger brother. "What's this about—Konomi-chan?" He let out a breath. "I never thought I'd be talking to you about this sort of thing." He leaned back in the chair. "Let me see, when she kept telling me 'I love you' as if it were some kind of incantation, it was pretty annoying. But that annoying feeling became one that just seemed natural after a while. And when she told me 'I'm not going to be in love with you anymore,' I remember feeling really irked instead of relieved." He chuckled before eyeing Yuuki intently. "The differences actually make the relationship work. The reason I know that we were meant to be together is that Kotoko can't do 90% of the things I can do, but she does the 10% that I _can't_ do in a way that I couldn't possibly imitate."

"It's not exactly like that with me," Yuuki finally said. "Konomi's only told me she liked me once, and that was back in middle school. Plus she even took _that_ confession back later. So I really don't know her feelings or mine. Sometimes she yells at me and calls me names." He paused then added, more softly, "I usually deserve it then."

Naoki snickered to himself.

"I help her with her studies, and we go out for walks and to movies together. I even told her that I'd help her study for college. But the other day, when this guy was being pushy and asking her out, she told him that she didn't have a boyfriend. I just got mad and then said some mean things to her. I don't know why."

The snicker became audible. "Ah, sorry," Naoki apologized. "We really _are_ brothers. 'That's' the one thing that I learned from Kinnosuke."

"What? _You_ learned something from Kin-baka?"

"Never mind," his brother waved it off, "you have more troubles than I did. You're not even certain that she likes you—anymore, that is." He sighed. "Looks like you have your work cut out for you."

"Well, thanks, I guess." Yuuki turned to leave.

Naoki spoke behind him. "Yuuki, according to Kinnosuke, what you're feeling is called 'being jealous'. I think you're going to have to admit that to yourself before you can talk to Konomi-chan and get this sorted out."


	13. Chapter 13

Mrs. Irie sighed over the sweater she was completing for her husband. "It's finally Valentine's Day tomorrow. Just in time!"

Kotoko, seated beside her, looked cross-eyed at the knotted mess before her. "Okaasan, I might be in trouble. Maybe I'll make a vest out of this. Or even a muffler," she added, sotto voce, "because it's sure not getting any sleeves tonight."

Her mother-in-law clipped off the last bit of yarn and gazed mournfully at the ceiling. "I wonder how Konomi-chan's been doing. And if she figured out that stitch on her own." She sniffed. "I swear that Yuuki is the sorriest excuse for a man ever."

Kotoko slanted her a look. "I don't think you have to go quite _that_ far."

"Do you think they could use a little help getting back together?" She leaned over confidentially.

"What do you have in mind?" Naoki's unfinished garment was quickly tossed aside.

* * *

There was a flurry of chatter as Konomi emptied her locker, checking to make sure that her brother's gift was still wrapped properly. She hadn't been able to master the special pattern, even with Internet videos, but since Makio hadn't minded the plain scarf, she was sure that Hiroto wouldn't be disappointed. She raised her head as some of the conversation around her caught her attention.

"He's so good-looking! Just standing outside the gates!"

"Pretty bold of him, in front of a girls' school."

"Who do you think he's waiting for? And on Valentine's Day, no less!"

Konomi laughed. "For me!" she raised her voice. When they all turned to her, she shrugged. "My brother is meeting me today."

"Aw, that's no fun," someone complained, although another piped up, "Introduce me, won't you?"

"Maybe later!" She waved as she headed out the door. But the one waiting was not whom she expected. "Irie-kun?" she asked an obviously embarrassed Yuuki.

"Took you long enough!" he growled. "I need to talk to you. Come on!" He unceremoniously grabbed her hand and tugged her along, protesting.

"Wait, what do you think you're doing?" she cried.

After a few turns he looked behind and seeing no more students, halted. "I need to," he averted his eyes, "apologize for the other day."

"What?" Konomi peered around, distracted.

"I said, 'I'm sorry!'" he shouted.

She frowned at him. "That's a fine way of putting it. Especially when you start snapping at me for no reason. Why in the world—"

"Nomi-chan!" Her brother jogged up to them, waving. "What's the big deal? Weren't we supposed to meet in front of your school? I don't know what to do with you, leaving me to the tender mercies of all those girls!" He hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Who's this?" Yuuki asked rudely.

"Oh," Konomi gasped, "Kirihara Hiroto, Irie Yuuki." She introduced them briefly with gestures.

The older man raised an eyebrow and looked from the teenager to his sister. "Is this one of those pests you've been dealing with on the train? Do I need to handle it after all?"

"No, no," she began.

"I thought you told him that you didn't have a boyfriend," Yuuki spat out bitterly. "You sure had _me_ fooled, too!" He eyed Hiroto keenly then turned back to Konomi. "He's too old for you. He's probably just giving you a line and playing you for a fool. You'd be better off with someone my age."

"Oho!" Hiroto laughed. "Can it be that my presence has prompted a confession? And on Valentine's Day? What should I do, little sister, run him off? But," he tipped her blushing face up, "it looks like this guy isn't as unwelcome as the others." He paused and blinked. "Irie?"

Konomi nodded.

"S-sister?" Yuuki stuttered. "So you're not…" He pointed from one to the other.

Hiroto raised his hands in surrender. "I have no incestuous thoughts _whatsoever_ toward this brat, I promise!" He dodged Konomi's fist at the statement. "But you, however," he advanced on Yuuki and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder, "what are your intentions towards my baby sister?"

"In-intentions?" Yuuki's eyes were wide.

"What was it you said? Are _you_ feeding her a line? Or maybe planning to play her for a fool?"

"Not at all!" he burst out. Even under the pressure he was feeling, he saw that Konomi was shaking her head in sibling resignation, a hand over her eyes. He turned to her. "I got upset," he pulled her hand down, "when I overheard you tell those two guys that you didn't have a boyfriend."

"When—?" she asked.

"Last week, three stations over," he clarified.

"Oh, yeah, them!" She recalled the event. "And _that_ made you say all those things?"

"My brother informed me that I was jealous," he admitted.

"Oh," she replied.

"Well, come on, come on," her brother encouraged, standing to the side with his arms folded. "Get to the good stuff."

Both teenagers glared at him, to which he responded with a wide, unconcerned grin. Yuuki swallowed loudly and continued, "We've been friends for a long time, but I'd like to upgrade the relationship to dating. How about it?" he concluded, not so eloquently.

"Ah, um," Konomi blinked rapidly, "I guess so." _No wonder she had been so upset at his harsh words that day, if his simple speech made her so happy._

"Great!" Her brother placed an arm around each and hugged them exuberantly. "Okay, then, change of plans!" He grabbed the bag from Konomi's hands. "Is this supposed to be for me?" When she nodded, he shoved it at Yuuki. "Much better to give your boyfriend a gift on Valentine's Day instead of your brother. And since I helped acquire said boyfriend—even though I believe you two were meant to be," he winked at his sister, "I think that's enough of a birthday present instead of taking you out to dinner. Okay, have fun, kids!" He waved and walked away.

"Your birthday?" Yuuki asked.

"Yeah," Konomi was staring after her brother, "but I was going to take a rain check. Your mother invited me over and promised that you wouldn't be there."

"Hey!" He frowned. "Kotoko told me to be sure and come straight home after school."

They locked eyes, realizing that the crazy matchmakers were at it again. Konomi grabbed Yuuki's hand and ran after her brother. "Hold up! You're not off the hook! You need to treat us _both_ to dinner!"

* * *

Later, at the Irie home, Mrs. Irie fretted at their non-appearance.

Naoki asked crossly, "Do I still have to wear this one-armed sweater?"

"I'll be finished shortly!" Kotoko assured him, knitting needles flashing.

* * *

 **A/N1: So, here you have it. Instead of a mild-mannered, passive girlfriend, Yuuki has one who doesn't hesitate to call him on his bullshit. (And this Yuuki is pretty manga-canon; a lot worse than Naoki ever was, in my opinion.)**

* * *

 ** **A/N2: Author rambling (feel free to ignore).**** This also let me revisit Kotoko and Naoki, my all-time favorite couple. (Kotoko and Yuuki are now my second favorite, but that's another story or two! Haha!) I like the depictions of these two in the manga. They have many more lovey-dovey moments than are shown in either the dramas (that I've seen) or the anime. It's much easier to see Naoki's deep affection for Kotoko in the illustrations, some drawn more subtly than others. If you've never read the book, I highly recommend it if you can afford it or can find it in a library. All of the recently reissued omnibus volumes have now been acquired and are shelved right under my Fruits Basket collector editions.

* * *

 **A/N3: Story requests.** I've developed a writing style of creating documents to jot down characters and plot ideas when they come to me. Sometimes I even get entire episodes; the first chapters of _Hospital Hijinks_ , _Pygmalion Project_ and this one were written almost in a trance and were eventually published with very few changes. Right now I have about four ideas on the back burner to revisit when further inspiration hits. To boil it down, I welcome suggestions but can make no promises as to if or when—I've got to feel the stories too. (Plus, if you make a suggestion as "Guest", with no account that I can reply to, there's no way for us to bounce ideas back and forth. Just sayin'.)


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